


sanctus

by Highlander_II



Category: American Gothic, Van Helsing (2004), tag wrangler rpf
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Crossover, Gen, Ghosts, wrangulatorverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-06
Updated: 2010-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-05 22:18:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/46603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Highlander_II/pseuds/Highlander_II
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ghost in the machine doesn't much care for unwelcome guests.</p><p> </p><p>** If I remember right, this came about as a result of 'ghost' tags being discussed on the Tag Wranglers mailing list.  I think we had tags that seemed to disappear, but their 'essence' remained.  Was 'Justin Timberlake' one of these ghost tags that finally made its way back to the land of the living? **</p>
            </blockquote>





	sanctus

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [spiritus](https://archiveofourown.org/works/44470) by [Luzula](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luzula/pseuds/Luzula). 
  * Inspired by [forma](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380) by [general_jinjur (jinjurly)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jinjurly/pseuds/general_jinjur). 
  * Inspired by [charta](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19860) by [akamine_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/akamine_chan/pseuds/akamine_chan). 
  * Inspired by [tempora](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20084) by [dizmo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dizmo/pseuds/dizmo). 
  * Inspired by [nova](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20480) by [Luzula](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luzula/pseuds/Luzula). 
  * Inspired by [quiddity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22263) by [samvara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samvara/pseuds/samvara). 
  * Inspired by [chroma](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22788) by [akamine_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/akamine_chan/pseuds/akamine_chan). 



No one knows how, but there's a ghost in the Wrangulator. Where it came from or why it's there, investigations have failed to discover. But, this mystery has yet to stall or hinder the progress of the wranglers. They press on, wrangling and working.

However, there is another force at work. Deep within the brass, the leather and the steampipes, another has entered the arena. This is dark, foreboding. Evil.

Few wranglers venture deep into the Wrangulator. It's dark, clunky, and full of ambiguity. No one's really sure what's down there and few have a strong desire to find out. The ambiguous depths are where some believe the ghost originated. But no one knows for sure.

Now there's something else. Something on a mission. Something... or someone.

Rattles and bangs - more than the usual - can be heard throughout the pipes of the Wrangulator. The ghost isn't happy. It knows there's something there. It doesn't want the company.

Lucas Buck walks the narrow passages without fear. Without worry. Without thought of anything but his mission. His black coat waves to and fro behind him; edges curling 'round the pipes as he passes. Dark, foreboding clouds of residual steam make brave attempts to impede his movement. But Buck is persistent. He has a plan.

He emerges from a thick billow of steam, coat curling around his ankles, and stares at the shimmer in the darkness. "You think you can hide from me?" he asks, voice echoing off the hot brass fixtures.

The pipes rattle in response.

"Come out and face me, ghost!" he bellows. No ghost hiding within the machinery was going to escape without a confrontation. Not from Buck.

More rattling in the pipes. Followed shortly by a low, muffled moan that echoes around the bass fittings. A struggled grunting and panting meanders through the pipes, then a sharp release of fresh steam.

Buck raises an arm to shield his face from the puffs of scalding water vapor. Once the steam clears, he moves deeper into the inner workings of the Wrangulator in pursuit of the ghost. He knows it's there. He knows he wants to face it. "What are you afraid of?" Buck asks the darkness.

Another series of rattles, shakes and bangs in reply.

Buck is growing annoyed. This ghost needs to stop hiding. He steps around a small boiler, then another corner, stopping short when a man in brown robes stumbles into him. The man blinks up through goggles that magnify his eyes several times.

"Why all the bellowing and blustering? Don't you know it echoes down here?" the brown-robed man snips at Buck.

Frowning, Buck asks, "Who are you?"

The man rolls his eyes, a comical looking gestures through the goggles. "I work here. What do you do?"

"Hunt," Buck answers with a sinister sneer.

"Hunt somewhere else. I'm busy." He toddles off toward another boiler, but turns back to warn, "Oh, and leave the ghost alone. It'll eat you alive."

Buck, entirely unfazed by this warning, presses on into the depths of the Wrangulator.


End file.
